NORWICH – This June, Holy Family School in Norwich will say goodbye to its principal and leader, Steve Bradley. After 35 years of service to schools in Chenango County, Bradley leaves a powerful legacy of leadership and compassion behind.

Graduating from Colgate University in 1978, Bradley went on to teach social studies at the high school in Oxford for 10 years, worked as a counselor at New Berlin (and Unadilla Valley after the school consolidated), taught in middle school and later served as the elementary school principal at Unadilla Valley.

He also gained an assortment of degrees that ranged from education and history to counseling and administration. He became Holy Family's principal three years ago, which has served as a great capstone to a successful career.

Courtney Emerson, a fourth grade teacher at Holy Family said, “I believe that Mr. Bradley has done an excellent job as principal because he has created an environment where teachers and children feel safe, respected, and academically challenged. Mr. Bradley knows each student and each teacher (employee) as an individual.”

When asked what led him to become a principal Bradley said, “I can't say I had a goal to be a principal. A lot of that came from the people (I worked with).”

Said Bradley, “I credit Colgate with exposure to different people across the country. I was exposed to classes and was taught to think and be more flexible.”